JOHN HENRY, Efquire, Governor.

1797.

raife the dividends up to ten per centum per annum; and at the end of every ten
years after the faid road fhall be completed, they fhall render to the general af-
fembly a like abftract or their accounts for three preceding years, and if, at the
end of any fuch decennial period, it fhall appear, from fuch abftract, that the
clear profits and income of the faid company will bear a dividend of more than
fifteen per centum per annum, then the faid toll fhall be fo reduced as will reduce
the faid dividend down to fifteen per centum per annum.

C H A P.
LXV.

XIX. And be it enacted, That in cafe the faid prefident and directors fhall
not comply with the provisions of this act, in publishing an account of their
expenditures and net proceeds femi-annually, and alfo in laying before the legifla-
ture every two years after the choice of the firft directors as aforefaid a ftatement,
upon oath, of their capital expended, and the profits arifing from the fame, they
fhall forfeit and pay, for each neglect, the fum of five hundred dollars.

Penalty for
not comply-
ing, &c.

XX. And, for the punifhment of all offences created by this act, and com-
mitted by the corporation, or their agents, Be it enacted, That profecutions by
action fhall be carried on and profecuted againft the prefident in the county court
of the county in which the faid prefident fhall refide and all fines and forfeitures
impofed by this act, which may affect other perfons, fhall he recovered by indict-
ment againft the party offending in the county court of the county in which he
or foe fhall refide, and the fame, when received, fhall be paid to the ftate, or
to fuch perfon or perfons to whofe ufe the fame are by this act appointed; and if
any perfon fhall refufe to pay the toll or tolls impofed by this act, at the refpec-
tive places at which they may be demanded by law, or fhall evade the payment
thereof, by going round the toll-gates, fuch toll fhall be recovered by warrant,
iffued by any juftice of the peace of the county in which the payment of fuch
toll may be demanded by virtue of this act, or of the county in which fuch per-
fon fhall refide, and all fuch juftices are hereby authorifed and required to iffue
fuch warrants, on the application of the faid prefident and directors, or their
agents or toll-receivers, and to hear and determine the faid complaint, and to
pafs judgment, and award execution thereon, in the fame manner as they are au-
thorifed to proceed in other cafes by the act, entitled, An act for the fpeedy re-
covery of fmall debts out of court, and to repeal the act of affembly therein
mentioned.

Profecutions
may be car-
ried on, &c.

XXI. And be it enacted, That the prefident and directors aforefaid fhall have
full power and authority to make fuch by-laws and ordinances as may be necef-

fary for the regulating of the affairs of the faid corporation, and for the carrying
into effect the powers vefted in them by this act.

Prefident, &c.
may make
by-laws, &c.

XXII. And be it enacted, That the faid proprietors, or a majority of them,
holding at leaft three thoufand fhares, fhall have full power, at any general
meeting, to leffen faid tolls, or determine what article fhall pafs free of tollage.

Tolls may be
leffened, &c.

XXIII. And be it enacted, That the faid prefident and directors fhall have
full power and authority from time to time to farm the faid tolls and toll-gates,
or any of them, for fuch term or terms, during the continuance of the faid cor-
poration, and upon fuch conditions, as they, in their difcretion, fhall deem ex-
pedient, provided that the fame fhall be ratified and confirmed by the general
meeting of the ftockholders that fhall next happen thereafter.

And may be

farmed out,
&c.

XXIV. And be it enacted, That if any perfon fhall drive any carriage or wag-
gon, cart or other carriage of burthen, round any turnpike gate, with intentions
to avoid the payment of the tolls, and if any perfon fhall lead or drive his riding
horfe, or any horfe or horfes, ox or oxen, mule or mules, hog or hogs, fheep or
black cattle, liable to tolls, round any fuch turnpike gate, with intent to evade
the payment of the toll, fuch perfon, if a free man, fhall forfeit and pay two
dollars for every fuch offence, or if a fervant or flave, the mafter or miftrefs fhall
forfeit and pay one dollar.

Penalty for
attempting to
avoid pay-
ment, &c.